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Tsvangirai asks countrymen to come home

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai wants his countrymen to return home to take part in the reconstruction of the country.

Tsvangirai told journalists in Cape Town on Thursday that he was having to convince sceptics that they had a role to play in rebuilding the country.

"My message is that this is the time to consider taking part in the reconstruction phase of Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans who are in the diaspora," Tsvangirai said.

He said the Zimbabwean diaspora constituted almost four-million skills of various attributes needed in Zimbabwe for its reconstruction.

"I am here to convince the sceptics who are quite wide ranging, including my own countrymen. This is not a salesman's job. It is real serious patriotic challenge to all Zimbabweans to come and really create a Zimbabwe we demand and deserve."

The Zimbabwean government, in turn, had to provide the necessary policy measures and confidence to Zimbabweans for them to consider participating in the country's reconstruction.

"It is a two way process," he said.

The country, Tsvangirai said, was laying a foundation for Zimbabweans to play their part.

"All we are saying is that we are turning a new chapter for our country.

"That new chapter provides opportunities for Zimbabweans who are probably living in a more desperate situation here.

"The only avenue they have is to come back home so that we can work together to rebuild our country.

"You don't have to be confused about going home. Home is always best.

"It is unfortunate the incidents of xenophobic attacks here," he added.

Tsvangirai said he believed that the inclusive government was consolidating but that what was needed "is to build the momentum" in order to build confidence in the country, nationally and internationally, "so that the country can move forward".

Things had changed for the better since the global political agreement (GPA) was signed last year, he said.

"For the past ten months a lot of social economic progress has been registered in terms of socio-economic stabilisation.

"I am sure with current negotiations taking place on implementation of the GPA we should see more freedoms being restored, through the constitutional reform process, through the legislative reform process and other reforms we have put in place," said Tsvangirai.

His Movement for Democratic Change party's recent disengagement from the government was due to there being "too many grievances around implementation of what was agreed".

"I want to assure you there is progress. We are talking about implementation of what we have agreed.

"What was affecting the credibility of the government is that we were not even implementing even some of the basic conditions agreed to in negotiations.

"We want to open a new chapter and say that the inclusive government has consolidated and that we need to build momentum in making sure we can reconstruct the country," said Tsvangirai.